Fashion Week

Monika Chiang Dazzles at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York
September 7, 2012

If you want to see know how to keep it simple, while providing a varied collection for Spring 2013. Monika Chiang’s collection for Spring 2013 is the epitome of that thought process. By providing a mixture of prints, airy pleated pants, a sharp cut leather jacket and top, Chiang went beyond the traditional runway show for a presentation that was strong enough because of the range. There are parts of this collection that are so creative, you will want something, anything from this designer.

BCBG MaxAzria – Spring/Summer 2012 collection video outtakes
September 8, 2011

Nothing like seeing the back of heads and a bit of the runway at BCBG. It’s almost like being in the stands in nosebleed. Reviews for the show and detailed shots from Kevin Kane coming up later today. But overall this is another strong collection for the BCBG line and will get some thoughts going on what was good and not so good later today. Meantime checkout videos and some of these shots home made with love:

Cathy Horyn Hoped Fashion’s Night Out Went Bust
October 13, 2010


Never one to hold back, Cathy Horyn dug into Anna Wintour’s brainchild in a candid interview on The Daily Beast. In Jacob Bernstein’s candid interview with the top fashion critic, Horyn touches on several topics including for her dislike of shopping, her ability to be a thorn in the side of certain designers including Carolina Herrera, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang, Nicole Miller, and Oscar de la Renta (who banned her from their shows at one point or another.) and the reasons she destroys designers during fashion week (hint: it’s only intentional if the designer makes it so). On the topic of Fashion’s Night Out Horyn makes no bones about her wanting it to be a failure, she says, “I hope it doesn’t go on…I don’t want it to continue… You know, we’re a nation of shoppers. That’s how people spend their time, shopping online, shopping in stores, acquiring. And I feel like we perpetuate that with Fashion’s Night Out. What are you really celebrating? Not art or great books. You’re celebrating shopping.” Ouch.

The full interview can be read here on the Daily Beast website.

Anne Valérie Hash SS11
September 30, 2010

Anne Valérie Hash works as if she were a fashion scientist. Constantly experimenting with color, structure and flow, Hash’s collections have evolved going back from 2005 and continuing on today. This season, Anne Valérie Hash worked a collection on the Paris runway that seemed to echo colors from a high end makeup kit. Using a palette that consisted of pale beige hues, grays and a golden yellow, Hash managed to give Spring a feminine and entirely wearable look. Paris is normally known for its convention challenging runway collections (read: not entirely wearable). Anne Valérie Hash went an entirely different way creating jackets that had sleeved scrunched up to the elbows, exposed seams and cropped right above the waist to give a light look. Hash’s use of fabrics included going with washed leather for a slightly aged look, cotton jersey (again for wearability) and georgette. I was a latecomer fan of Anne Valérie Hash (2008 Fall collection), but after this collection, I am a true-believer.

Video from Catherine Malandrino SS 2011
September 14, 2010

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3U6NzhS0s[/youtube]

Catherine Malandrino opened her show to the public on Sunday and had perfect timing. It was pretty much an overcast day until about 1 hour after her show when the skies opened up and a torrential downpour started. Prior to that, Malandrino was able to show a startlingly refreshing collection with a mix of animal print, silk and leather macrame’ in the open air. Great reviews flowed across the board. Sam uploaded his review and a video. See the video here at our Youtube channel and view the review here on Papierdoll.

Diane von Furstenburg SS11
September 13, 2010



[click images for full gallery]

After numerous SS11 shows at New York fashion week that were a sea of white, Diane von Furstenburg wowed us with her bold colors and prints for next season. A mix of rich hues like purple and rust, along with the classic preppy color combination of navy, green and white, Von Furstenburg made it clear that it’s a mixed bag and wearing what works for you this coming spring. There were dresses and separates, but what made the collection as a whole read so fresh was the slightly baggy silhouette.

Nearly every piece was roomy, yet gracefully skimming the figure for a finish that is modern and wearable. From slim, cropped tailored pants that were loose through the hips to the draped cocktail dresses in citrus brights, there was a luxurious ease throughout the collection. Von Furstenburg created this collection with the help of Yvan Mispelaere, who previously had stints at Gucci and Chloe (under the direction of Phoebe Philo). Together, von Furstenburg and Mispelaere did a fantastic job of retaining the youthful spirit DVF is known for while tailoring separates and creating dresses that move beyond the wrap.

Fashion’s Night Out – The Chanel Store
September 11, 2010

Yeah, I passed by the Chanel store to escape the madness that was Bloomingdales and Macy’s in Midtown. But guess what. It was even more mad downtown. Here’s photographic proof that Fashion’s Night Out is starting to rival Fashion Week itself (yes it’s hyperbole, but not by much).

Dealing with Claustrophobia at Ports 1961
September 11, 2010

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a bit of claustrophobia even in wide open, albeit crowded, spaces. A very frank admission to the public world if I may say so myself. So leave it to the absolutely ridiculous crowd at Ports 1961 show to bring it out. One quick point, I’ve been to several Ports 1961 shows and I’ve never, ever seen it this crowded. If a large crowd is any indication of the success of a collection then Ports rates at or near the top at fashion week. At first things were pretty cool as evidenced by this photo:

then this happened:

Needless to say, everyone wanted to be at Ports 1961.

Large photos for the show can be found here: Ports 1961 Spring 2011 photos

Visit our Spring 2011 Fashion week page for all image updates at fashion week.

Diego Binetti The Fall Collection and Fashion Week profile
September 3, 2010



Diego Binetti is a workman’s designer. While celebrities get a pass for their star status and some stumble into design, Binetti’s resume reads as if he’s wanted to do this for a long time. This drive shows as Binetti has evolved into a designer whose collection is meticulous and intricate. The attention to detail in patterns being used on his dresses for the fall collection and the slight touches and accents demonstrate that his time in Milan was well spent. For the Fall season Diego Binetti uses the elaborate pattern work that we’ve seen before but he also ventures into new territory with a long floor length floral dress, an anime like-print dress with exposed arms tied just right above the elbow (see photo) and a wonderful high waisted pant that shows off any pair of boot (not ankle) that a discerning fashion lover would want to wear.

The Diego Binetti collection is one you want to wear, if you can get your hands on it. View the entire collection at I love Binetti website.



Thank God for baby bloggers
September 25, 2009

3-19c_normal

I’ve spent the entire day on two blogs:  Tavi Gevinson’s Style Rookie and Brooke Kao’s the fashion void that is DC.  Both of these young women are teenagers.  Tavi is 13 and Brooke is 17, although their blogs started when they were even younger.  Some debate that girls this young shouldn’t be caught up in the storm of fashion (Tavi attended New York fashion week shows as well as after parties) and I have to say that I was cynical before I looked at the blogs themselves.

I understand adults disagreeing with such early fame and recognition for these girls, but thank god for them.  And I’ll tell you why.  For every awkward, beautiful girl who doesn’t think she is because she doesn’t look like the other girls in her class, for every young person who holds a passion for a subject inside of them and is afraid to express it, we need young people who are coming out simply as themselves.  The reason why these girls are being gifted with clothes from designers personally, and invited to events is because they’re a reminder to some of their own “geeky” childhood obsessions.

Fashion, which thrives on newness, is a subject that would be taken up by young people. Arguably, they are at they’re most creative because they are unhindered by adulthood restrictions (this goes with that…). As adults most of us just end up trying way too hard.  We forget that not everything has to be the finished product, and that some days we can leave the house in nothing more than an experiment (I mean that figuratively and literally).  And that is the beauty and draw behind what these girls are doing.  They’re having fun playing dress up!  If only we could schuck off our attempt at creating that feeling and just do it. 

Do I think these girls should leave home, and attend parties with drug addled celebs and hangers-on, unsupervised?  No.  Do I appreciate what they’re doing and understand why others do too? Yes.

Newer Posts
No Older Posts